IDG Partners With BitWine to Enhance User Services and Increase Community ROI

BitWine continues to expand its global presence via its partnership with International Data Group’s TecChannel (www.tecchannel.de). IDG TecChannel is a site for IT professionals, with highly interactive forums.

BitWine enhances the value that online communities give to their members while monetizing their loyalty. BitWine offers latest VOIP technology to allow forum participants to have immediate, online voice interaction. Participants or affiliates wishing to share their expertise on a paid basis can immediately connect to potential customers or they can interact as peers.

“This technology allows site publishers to enhance their community offerings by using VOIP to leverage the relationships people develop online,” says Elad Baron, BitWine’s CEO and co-founder. “Experts can help other community members in a direct, one-on-one, natural manner over the phone or using a computer video chat; meanwhile, site publishers receive a percentage for every professional consultation facilitated within their site.”

Under the new partnership, IDG has set up the “TecChannel Expert Network @ BitWine” – a TecChannel community of experts, tightly integrated with their website. TecChannel readers can now find relevant online experts while reading articles or while interacting within the site’s extensive technical forums.

BitWine allows professionals the opportunity to earn money via site forums. Expert users create profiles, and a BitWine “presence button” is added to their TecChannel forum profile, allowing others to immediately see their field of expertise. TecChannel has also added BitWine in-context widgets to individual articles, leading to TecChannel members with related expertise.

Users can connect via instant messaging and phone without any downloads, even allowing experts to provide real-time support by facilitating temporary remote PC control. All future scheduling is also handled through BitWine, as well as payment via PayPal or a credit card.

“The cooperation with BitWine is another step toward our goal of strengthening our network of IT experts while better serving our community, a classic win/win for all” said Dirk Limburg, Publisher of TecChannel. “IT has become so complex that no one can be an expert in all areas. BitWine enables our visitors to quickly get competent help and leverage their own knowledge.”

“BitWine serves online communities through enabling real-time enhanced interaction,” concludes Elad. “BitWine partners, like IDG, strengthen the ties within their communities by using BitWine to allow profitable information flow between peers and affiliates. With BitWine’s mutuality, an advisee today can be an expert tomorrow – extending the range of available expertise.”

About BitWine

BitWine’s technology allows for real-time paid online consulting, leveraging the latest in web technologies. Website publishers can easily integrate BitWine’s solutions to strengthen and leverage their user communities. BitWine is privately held with headquarters in Tenafly, New Jersey, and venture backing from Crossbar Capital and individuals. Please visit http://www.bitwine.com or contact us at info@bitwine.com .